خیلی

The frequency of kheyli in Tehrani speech is hard to overstate. It is the rhythm word that carries emotional weight through long sentences. Take it out, and the speaker sounds flat. خیلی ممنون (kheyli mamnun) is the standard "thank you" between friends. خیلی خوشحال شدم (kheyli khoshhâl shodam, "I became very happy") is a standard greeting after seeing someone. Iranian speech values warmth, and kheyli is one of the engines that delivers it. Without kheyli, you sound polite. With kheyli, you sound human.